Buildings & Grounds Maintenance

Reducing waste is the first step towards conserving resources and decreasing the amount of waste that ends up in landfills.

Reducing waste means decreasing the amount of total waste by using only what you need, using less, and support companies that use less packaging for their products. During the past 35 years, the amount of waste each person creates has almost doubled from 2.7 to 4.4 pounds per day. The most effective way to stop this trend is by preventing waste in the first place. Reduce is the first of five R's that individuals can follow in order to save natural resources and help alleviate America's mounting trash problem. Many people are familiar with the concepts of reusing and recycling products, but few know that using fewer materials in the first place is actually the most important step towards decreasing the amount and toxicity of garbage sent to the landfill.

Every year, Americans generate millions of tons of trash in the form of packaging, bottles, boxes, cans, magazines, appliances, furniture, clothing, and much more. (Click here for the EPA's overview of What's in America's Trash.) Across the country, millions of individuals, communities, schools, and businesses have discovered creative ways to decrease the amount of trash they generate. One of the most effective ways to do this is through source reduction or waste prevention. Source reduction can conserve resources, reduce pollution, and help cut waste disposal and handling costs. It avoids the costs of recycling, composting, landfill, and combustion. Because source reduction prevents the generation of waste in the first place, it comes before other management options in dealing with existing trash.

 Putting source or waste reduction into practice is likely to require some change in our daily routines. All parts of society need to work together to change current patterns of waste generation and disposal. The federal government develops and provides information and looks for incentives to create less waste. It also helps communities plan and carry out source reduction measures. State and local governments can create the most appropriate source reduction measures for their areas. For example, some communities already are using fee systems that require households and businesses to pay for trash disposal based on the amount they toss out. Individuals can evaluate their daily waste-producing activities to determine those that are essential (such as choosing medicines and foods packaged for safety and health) and those that are not (such as throwing away glass or plastic jars that could be reused or locally recycled).

Here are some U.S. Environmental Protection Agency suggestions for ways in which individuals can decrease the amount and toxicity of the waste that they produce:

• When choosing between two similar products, select the one with the least unnecessary packaging.
• At the hardware store, look for wrenches, screwdrivers, nails, and other items that are available in loose bins.
• At the grocery store, consider purchasing items, such as tomatoes, garlic, and mushrooms, unpackaged rather than in prepackaged containers.
• When appropriate, use products you already have on hand to do household chores. Using these products can save on the packaging associated with additional products.
• Recognize and support store managers when they stock products with no packaging or reduced packaging. Let clerks know when it's not necessary to double wrap a purchase. 
• Consider large or economy-sized items for household products that are used frequently, such as laundry soap, shampoo, baking soda, pet foods, and cat litter. These sizes usually have less packaging per unit of product. For food items, choose the largest size that can be used before spoiling.
• Consider whether concentrated products are appropriate for your needs. They often require less packaging and less energy to transport to the store, saving money as well as natural resources.  Whenever possible, select grocery, hardware, and household items that are available in bulk. Share bulk merchandise with friends and neighbors.
• Choose food services that are appropriate to your needs. One alternative to single food services is to choose the next largest serving and store any leftovers in a reusable container.
• Reduce your Junk Mail with these popular programs.
• Gather new ideas on how to reduce waste over the holidays.